Abramovich goal: Chelsea supremacy
![]() Abramovich, center, celebrates with members of Chelsea winning the Premiership in 2004. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England -- Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has said he wants to turn the English football club into the most successful in the world. The tycoon, who is Russia's wealthiest man according to U.S. magazine Forbes, has spent about £240 million ($425 million) on players since his £140 million takeover at Stamford Bridge in 2003. Last season Chelsea ended a 50-year wait to become league champions. In the foreword to a new book "Chelsea FC -- The Official Biography," 38-year-old Abramovich outlined his goals for the west London club. "We aim to retain the Premiership and get to the Champions League final," said Abramovich, as reported in The Sun on Friday. "In the long term, our strategy is to build the most successful football club in the world and everything we have done so far is geared to this. "I hope to carry this forward in the true blue tradition of Chelsea but also build even stronger foundations to last us the next 100 years. "When I became involved in Chelsea, I had little idea how much joy and excitement it would bring me. "I can think of no more fitting tribute to our centenary season than to enter it as the Premiership champions. That is like a dream come true. "It was 50 years since our previous title and everybody's working hard to ensure we will not have to wait that long again." Oath of officeMeanwhile on Friday, Abramovich was re-elected as governor of the desolate Russian region of Chukotka, local media reported. Lawmakers in the regional legislature voted unanimously to appoint Abramovich to head the region, which lies 7,000 kilometers (4,375 miles) east of Moscow and across the Bering Strait from Alaska. Footage broadcast by Russian state television from the snow-bound capital, Anadyr, showed Abramovich swearing the oath of office and visiting a power station to ensure homes were warm enough for the Arctic winter. Russian media speculated Abramovich, who owns properties in London and spends much of his time there, would leave Russia, especially after he sold his interest in Sibneft oil firm to Russian gas monopoly Gazprom. But his re-election was almost guaranteed after President Vladimir Putin nominated him for another term. As well as investing in Chelsea, Abramovich has injected much of his own money into Chukotka, building new homes and infrastructure for the previously impoverished region. "Roman Abramovich is a very decent person. He wants to complete the initiatives that he has started in Chukotka," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Putin's envoy to the region, Konstantin Pulikovsky, as saying.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|